According to a study by the Institute of Water Modelling in Dhaka, its groundwater level is falling by a frightening three meters per year. As the population continues to increase accompanied by an uptick in industrialization, river water has become contaminated with industrial waste. Today, groundwater is expected to satisfy over 80% of the city’s water supply. As a supplemental source, about 150 billion liters of rainwater could be harvested during the monsoon season in the city of Dhaka city alone. This could be a vital addition in allowing access to clean water.
As the main water source in the camps is ground water, OBAT’s Chittagong team (the biggest city in Bangladesh located nearest to the capital, Dhaka) leaped on an opportunity for more clean water. The team has installed the first Rainwater Harvesting Project at Sardar Bahadur Nagar School Camp. Rainwater will collect from the roof (measuring 14×12 feet) of the ladies’ bathroom and the roof of the rainwater harvesting tank, which measures 10×8 feet. Initially, this water will be used for bathing and washing clothes, but it can be used for drinking water as well if a filtration system is added.
This project has been constructed beside a ladies’ bathroom and deep tube well, both of which are OBAT’s projects. 6,000 liters of water will be stored as a result of this project and 40 families will benefit from it.